A Mother's Son
by Zora191264
Summary: Chaos is protecting Earth, but is faced with an unknown enemy. It's up to his final pawn to bring him victory. AU Percy's mother dies and he is brought up by a very unlikely goddess. Eventual Percy/Artemis or Percy/Zoe.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: **

**Hello. This is my first fanfiction ever, although I've read so many I've lost count. I would really appreciate any criticism, as I would love to improve my writing. **

**I do not own Percy Jackson. **

Storms sailed over the horizon as darkness settled in. Claps of thunder could be heard as lightning flashed, lighting the sky with it's anger. Torrential rains pounded the sea below, only adding to the rage. The sea responded in kind. Turbulent waves rocked the ocean floor, while the earth shook in fury. As lightning struck, the sea waves seemed to rise, as if it was meeting the sky, blow for blow.

He watched the proceedings on Earth with amusement twinkling in His eye. For millennia, He had cast his protective gaze upon His newest creation, Earth. He would not let this planet wither like the others. He would find a way to protect this little planet, so very dear to Him. Sadly, He could not solve all of Earth's problems by Himself.

He created the Primordials, and bestowed them some meager power to rule the planet. He watched in misery as His creations treaded the path of darkness. He initially hoped the birth of the Titans would bring about a change. A change it did bring, but not the kind He seeked.

Kronos did well in killing his father Uranus with the help of his mother Gaea. Death by castration none the less. He beamed in pride as Kronos ushered in the Golden Age of mankind with his sister Rhea by his side. Peace and harmony prevailed as humans lived among the Titans, free to converse and mingle. However His amusement of Kronos's actions did not last long. The world that He loved so much crumbled when He witnessed Kronos eat his children out of fear of their power. He watched history repeat itself as Zeus, Poseidon and Hades cut their father up and threw Kronos into Tartarus. He realized that this time He must interfere some how. He would not let the Age of the Gods fall into the corruption of the previous two ages. He could not influence the Gods directly according the Ancient Laws. That did not stop Him from bestowing a few worthy mortal pawns portions of His power. In return for that power, He controlled His pawns from the sidelines. His pawns were part of every major war in Earth's history. Achilles in The Trojan War, Triton in The Atlantean War, Lord Krishna in The Kurukshetra War, George Washington in the Revolutionary War, etc. There wasn't major event that occurred without his influence.

He played this intricate game of chess as wars raged on to determine the fate of both mortal and immortal existence. Battles were fought, won and lost. Empires fell and rose at His command. All for the betterment of the planet. Yet, it still was not enough. If life were to continue as it did now, it would fall to the hands of corruption.

He failed to comprehend how His perfect creations were introduced to the darkness of corruption. It was then that he realized that he was not the only being did not know the name of His opponent or how it was powerful enough to play against Him, but play it did.

And it was winning.

For eons He played against this Unknown enemy to keep this planet safe. From the destruction of Greece to the fall of the Roman Empire, He lost piece after piece to the corruption of the Unknown. The Unknown seemed to counter every move with His own pawns.

As the game was reaching it's end, only the Olympians and His final pawn were left as the guardians the Earth. He understood there was only one more chance to guarantee the future of the planet. His final gambit. Taking a deep breath He , Chaos the Creator, moved His last pawn forward.

On Earth, Percy Jackson son of Poseidon, was born.

Line Break

Run. Run. All Percy could do was run. He has been running for three days now, without food and with minimal rest. The hunger caused his body to ache and burn, while his muscles screamed for rest. But he could not rest. The base of his skull throbbed. He would die if he stopped running. He was in danger.

He could feel it.

He was being chased by something cold, sinister. He didn't know what that dark presence was, or why it was chasing him. All he knew what that he was in trouble. He always was in trouble. It seemed to find him, like a boomerang coming back to its owner. But his mother was always there to make it better, to protect him.

Percy's heart slowed as he thought of his mother. Her warm smiles and caring words were always enough to comfort him, no matter the situation. She protected him from Smelly Gabe, from the mean words of the kids at school, from the nightmares he had. She had protected him from all that was wrong in the world. But she was gone now, killed by his cowardice. He should have stayed away from her, let her live a happy life without having to take care of her coward son.

Percy choked on his tears as he failed to hold them back. His cheeks were already tear stained from the past three days. All he thought about was his mother. His inability to protect the one person he loved.

Percy shook his head as he tried to get back to the present situation. He didn't know how long he could keep this up. He was tired, hungry, sleepy and lost. It was a long way from the dark alleyways of New York that he called home. He took a look at his surroundings. The sun was beginning to set in the western sky, ushering in the darkness. He could make out cows grazing in the distance. He was in a farm. How he ended up here he did not know. He didn't care either. He needed safety. Now. He heard a growl from behind him and dared to turn his head around while speeding up a little. He saw two pitch black dogs chasing him.

"You have to be kidding me. I've been running all this time because of DOGS?" Percy screamed at no one in particular. But Percy couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more to these dogs. He looked back again and tried to focus on them. Percy's eyes grew wide.

Two gigantic dogs with fire red eyes and razor sharp teeth had replaced the tiny dogs from before. They seemed to have crawled out of the pits of hell. How did he notice this before.

He needed shelter desperately. He couldn't outrun these things for much longer. He saw a barn in the distance 300 meters away. Percy placed all his energy in sprinting towards the barn. He was so close to safety. He looked back. Those hounds were gaining on him, faster and faster, as if traveling through the shadows rather than on foot.

Just 50 more meters. Percy gained confidence. He could do it. He would make it. He would live to see another day. Then it happened.

He tripped over his own foot, spraining his ankle. Only 20 meters from the barn door. He couldn't move, his muscles refusing to res As he lay on the floor Percy thought of his life. It was pathetic. He had done nothing, and now the sacrifice of his mother had amounted to nothing. He cried again. Tears rained upon the ground as he awaited his death.

"I'm sorry mom"

The dogs had finally caught up. They seemed to look at Percy with pity in it's flaming red eyes. The larger one stepped forward towards Percy. It raised its paw into the sky, claws gleaming in the setting sun, ready to slit the child's throat. As it came down on Percy he closed his eyes. A light flashed. Percy opened his eyes and saw that the dogs had disappeared . As Percy faded into unconsciousness, he made out the silhouette of a lady yelling angrily at a man behind her. Percy's mind gave out, and faded into darkness.

**Please do review. I want to know how to improve this. ****Thanks for reading.**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: I apologize for the late update. I didn't expect to take so long to upload the next chapter, but it is a week before AP exams so I hope you'll cut me some slack. This chapter doesn't have too much action, but the next one will. I hope you enjoy.**

**I do not own Percy Jackson**

**Percy **

_Percy stared into vicious fire red eyes of two large hounds, the blood dripping from their snouts onto his chest. He was pinned to the floor, trapped. They had smelled of decaying meat, while flesh could be seen stuck in between their teeth. It's coat of fur was sleek and black, stains of red and gold blood could be seen, embedded into the side of the animals. Dried blood coated their claws. A gleaming red mane traveled down the spine of the beasts, each with a tail that was lit on fire. Percy tried to move back, but the weight of the claw was too much. The hounds grinned with amusement as the slashed Percy's chest over and again. When Percy thought the pain couldn't get any worse, the head of the animal changed. In it's place was the face of Sally Jackson._

"_Mom" Percy choked out with a bit of relief. Even if it was on the body of a monster, the face of his mother was always comforting to see. _

_Sally's face contorted to an evil smirk that Percy had never seen on his mother. The beast started to slash again._

"_Don't you DARE call me mom you worthless child. Your COWARDICE lead to my demise. You shall suffer" the beast roared at Percy. _

"_Mom I'm sorry, please. I didn't know what to do. Please. Come back" _

_The beast with Sally's face looked at Percy with a tinge of sympathy. It raised it's claws, ready to slit the child's throat. _

" _I will never come back" _

_The claws fell onto Percy's throat._

Percy awoke screaming, and found himself immediately comforted by the heat of a gentle fire that he lay next to. He closed his eyes and cried. He had another nightmare. This one was worse than any of the others. The pain that was inflicted on him felt real. Percy felt his chest to make sure that there were no scars. Once Percy was able to calm down he gazed at the ceiling of what appeared to be a barn. Wait. A barn? Memories of the past week came crashing in. Running and hiding from those big dogs that tried to kill him. Just like in his nightmare.

He realized he was still alive, which was a nice surprise. His muscles still burned from three days of continuous running, but his hunger had been satiated. Percy shifted his position from the ground to the barn wall, placing some hay behind his head, using it as a pillow. The barn seemed to be deserted besides him. No animals, no people, not even a mouse or insect was scurrying about. Percy felt truly alone.

Percy faintly remembered seeing a man and woman before passing out. he wondered if they were the ones who saved him from those dog things. Where were they now? If they had saved him, he needed to give them his thanks. Even if they didn't save him, maybe they could help him find a place to go next. What would he do next? Percy had no family other than his mother. She was an only child, and her parents ( Percy's grandparents) had died in a plane crash before Percy was born. He never knew his father, and didn't want to. Percy had deep suited hatred for his father. His mother always told him that it wasn't his father's fault for never coming, not marrying her. But Percy couldn't help but hate him. His so called "father" had left Percy and his mother to deal with Gabe, bankruptcy, abuse , etc. His entire life was his father's fault. Percy shook his head, clearing himself of those depressing and angry thoughts. He needed to get out of here.

Percy tried to get up, wincing as he put weight on his previously sprained ankle. It had healed, but it still hurt. He leaned heavily on the wall, his legs still unable to support him by themselves.

He grit his teeth and inched slowly towards the barn door, still putting most of his weight on the wall. He needed to get out. He didn't know where he could go, but he had to go somewhere. Those monster dogs could be back at any time, and in his present condition, he definitely

needed as large a head start as he could get. After 20 painful minutes of slowly making his way towards the door, a heavily sweating Percy could see the outside. There were no signs of the struggle that took place, except for a small patch of dirt that had been kicked up when Percy fell. The weather outside was wonderful, clear blue filled the sky while the sun shone upon Percy, giving him comforting heat. The cattle still grazed happily in the distance. Percy sighed. Leave it to fate to have to him running away when there was weather like this. Percy turned to the left side of the barn wall to leave. He thought he would back track to the nearest city and find his way to the next one from there. As he was about to turn the corner, he heard voices coming from the right side of the barn. He walked slowly over to find the source of the voice, praying it wasn't another person that wanted him dead. His prayers weren't heard.

There were two people, a male and a female, around the female seemed to be infuriated, yelling at the man, while the man just calmly stood, waiting for her rant to be over. Percy's eyes widened. These people were the ones who had been there when he passed out yesterday. Percy assumed they had saved him, but he wasn't sure. Before going up to them, Percy decided it would be a good idea for him to take a close look at them. The man was dressed in a dark black shroud that covered his back and torso. Who wears that kind of clothing in this weather? Percy knew the man had to be hiding something. No one in their right mind would be wearing a large cloak unless they had planned on hiding themselves. Even with the cloak on, Percy could see well developed muscles on the man. They weren't overly done, like a body builders, but rather seemed to be the perfect balance between strength and agility. The man's skin was deathly pale, as if his skin was bleached. The man's wavy black hair complimented the midnight black irises he carried on his face. He couldn't have been older than 20, but his eyes contradicted that. Percy could see eon's of loneliness in his eyes. Percy could tell those were the eyes of the misunderstood, someone seen as a monster even though he was nothing but a friend. Percy had the same loneliness in eyes, Even with the empathy that Percy felt, he couldn't help but shiver when he looked at the man. He seemed to send layers of fear from his body, as if the essence of fear oozed from his pores. Percy did not want this man as his enemy, but could see him as a great friend. Percy shifted his gaze to the lady yelling at the man. He couldn't understand what she was saying, it wasn't English. She had a thin frame, but not so thin as to be sick. Her skin was a fair white, not as pale as her companion, but not very dark either. He took a look at the lady's face and gasped in shock. Tears streaming down his face, he ignored the pain in his body as he bolted from his hiding spot in the corner and tackled the lady in a tight hug.

"Mom" he screamed, sobbing into her dress.

**AN: Well, can anyone guess who the male and female are? Please review and let me know what you guys think about the story. Also would you rather have a PercyxZoe story or a PercyxArtemis? I enjoy both a lot. Once again I apologize for the abysmal update time. Thanks to all those who who favorited and followed this story. Thanks for reading as well. **

**Buh bye now. **


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Well I had thought the amount of time it took me to write last chapter was bad. Anyhoo, I hope you enjoy. **

_**Previously:**_

_Percy shifted his gaze to the lady yelling at the man. He couldn't understand what she was saying, it wasn't English. She had a thin frame, but not so thin as to be sick. Her skin was a fair white, not as pale as her companion, but not very dark either. He took a look at the lady's face and gasped in shock. Tears streaming down his face, he ignored the pain in his body as he bolted from his hiding spot in the corner and tackled the lady in a tight hug. _

"_Mom" he screamed, sobbing into her dress. _

**Percy**

Percy was almost unable to believe it. His mother was alive. He hung to her dress and sobbed. He had been so worried, so distressed. He had watched his mother die with his own eyes, unable to defend her. But here she was, as healthy as ever. And she had saved him from the monsters, like she always did. He knew everything would be alright as long as he had his mother.

_Flashback_

_A four year old Percy sat on the floor, a barrage of tears flooding his eyes. Blood , leaking from a cut on his leg, stained the freshly cleaned carpet. _

"_Percy! I'm home! I brought you some candy from the sto..." Percy's mother started as she walked through the apartment door, swinging a large bag of candy around. _

"_PERCY! WHAT HAPPENED?" _

_Percy's mother rushed to the child's side, almost fainting when she saw the amount of blood on the carpet. She instinctively checked the wound, noting the severity of the wound. This was not trip and fall kind of cut. She fretted around Percy, making sure there was no where else he was hurt. _

_Percy sniffled as he attempted to stop the tears from flowing so he could tell his mother what happened. _

"_It was G... . I was weaching fow a pewn on the tabwle and I touchwed his pokwer chiwp. H...he picked up a bowken bowtle and thew it at mew when I wan away." Percy was able to sob out with a small lisp that accompanied the four year old. _

" _Oh gods Percy, are you alright? " Percy's mother said as she pulled the boy in for a tight hug._

"_I'm so sowwey mommy. I won't touch Gawbe's stuff again. I'm sowwey I stained the cawpet. I'll cwean it up I pwomise. Pwease don't hate mew." Percy frantically said, still clinging on to his mother. Percy knew his mother probably hated him. Gabe was always telling him how much of a screw up he was. It was surprise she put up with him for four years. _

"_Perseus Achilles Jackson..." Percy quivered in fear. He was right. His mother did hate him. She only ever said his full name when she was mad. _

"_... don't you ever dare say that again. I love you more than anything in this world. I could never hate you, you're my little boy. I'm the one that should be sorry. No one should have to grow up like this. But hopefully you'll understand when you're older. " Percy's comfortingly said as she placed the boy in her lap, looking at him in the eyes. _

_Percy had stopped listening after " I love you". His mother loved him. That's all he needed in this world. She took in the comforting scent of candy that followed his mother around. He placed his head on his mothers shoulder, burying his little face into her flowing brown hair as she picked him up. _

" _Now come on, let's go clean you up. Put some water on that cut with some bandages. I'll give you a bath afterwards."_

"_Mommy no bath. Pweaseeeeee" Percy begged, opening his little eyes as far as they would go, making the cutest puppy face. _

" _Hmmm , You know what I heard at the store today? There's a tickle monster going around getting little boys who didn't take their bath."_

Percy giggled. " Mommy there's no such thwing as a twickle monstwer." 

"_Oh yeah? Then what's this?" Percy's mother started a ferocious tickle attack against the poor child's abdomen, careful as not to aggravate his wound further._

"_M.m...mommy " Percy managed to stutter out in between a bunch of giggles. "S. Hahahahahahahahahaha" _

_Percy grinned when his mother finally stopped. _

_This was how life was supposed to be. He wished Gabe would just disappear. _

_/* End Flashback */_

Percy grinned into his mother's dress after the memory was over. No matter how many times he relieved those moments in his head, he never tired of them.

Percy lifted his head from dress and inhaled deeply. He had spent a lot of time sobbing in his mother's dress. He then noticed something. The smell of candy that usually emanated from his mother was gone, replaced by the smell of a rich man or women, one that Percy usually associated with stuck up snobs who could learn to give respect. He looked at his mother's face, expecting a warm smile and welcoming eyes.

He was greeted with a much different expression. Eyes that always seemed to be filled with happiness and kindness were filled with sadness and hate. The smile and laughter lines that had plastered Sally's face before had disappeared, to be replaced by stress lines above the woman's brow. Her dark brown hair had an oddly fake radiant shine to them, as if the hair was prepared by a stylist. Percy's mother never had money for a stylist. Last of all was the smile on her face, or more accurately, the lack of one. Instead, there lay a shocked and angered look. The once jubilant face of Percy's mother had been reduced the face of one who had forgotten love long ago.

Percy took a step back, reason slowly dawning upon him.

" Yo... You're not my mother."

Laughter boomed from behind Percy. A dark yet melodic voice spoke from behind him.

"You've got that right child. She's the last person on earth that could be your mother."

**Hera **(Previous Day)

Hera stood by the barn, tapping her foot impatiently, waiting for her guest to show up. The nerve of that man. She had requested his audience with him today and made sure sure he swore on the styx to arrive on time. She snorted.

"A load of good that did" She thought to herself. This meeting was imperative to the survival of the Age of the Gods. She could feel her father beginning to rise again. This man was the only one who could help her, or even would help her.

Hera knew she wasn't popular among the Gods, her marriage to Zeus being the only thing that garnered some respect from the fellow Olympians. Her domain of marriage meant little to nothing to the world anymore, with mortals and Gods alike, disrespecting those sacred vows. The man who was coming knew the meaning of family and marriage, despite lacking both. That's the only reason he agreed to meet her today.

She sighed. There was nothing she could do about her standing among the Gods today. Despite the Ancient Laws and their marriage vows, the Gods gained respect by the feats of their mortal children. The greater the achievement of the child, the greater respect the God earned. Gods who did not have mortal children rose to respect through their champions. Hera had tried this with Heracles, to no avail. He was never remembered as the champion of Hera, rather only as the son of Zeus. The only detail Hera was remembered for was making the demigod's life a living hell.

Tired of brooding over her thoughts, Hera plopped down in front of the barn with a pack of cards. She decided to keep herself entertained until her guest showed up, if he ever did.

After several hundred frustrating games of Solitaire, several temper tantrums, a few trips to the great outdoor bathrooms and a stop at a local pharmacy for some Apollo's Beef Jerky, Hera decided she had enough. She couldn't wait any longer. She had pressed back her pride for long enough. It was at that moment Hera began to feel the air chill around the barn door. Shadows began to point to one direction, as if bowing to the person that was arriving. All that was living, save for Hera, had shrunk in fear away. Trees seemed to move away, animals sprinting, already gone from sight. Dark flames flew up from the ground, forming a ring. Darkness was drawn into the center. A pit began to form, extending into the ground. A man had risen from the pit, strikingly attractive with a dark aura surrounding him.

" You called, my great-niece? "

( A few minutes before Percy awakens )

Hera could not believe the actions of her great-uncle. He first shows up over twenty four hours late for their meeting, giving her the excuse that he "Got held up in traffic." How does an immortal being that can teleport get " held up in traffic"? It's preposterous. He continues to goad her with a smug smile while she lectured him on the importance of being on time when he agreed to an appointment. When she had finished she had noticed she was in her immortal form. She must have accidentally flashed into this form for a second in anger. She had always tended to get over enthusiastic when giving lectures. Once she had calmed down she noticed her uncle with a serious expression on his face looking behind her.

She turned around and gasped in shock. Before her lay a bruised and scarred child, exhausted and about to faint with his eyes closed laying on the ground. Behind him lay the golden dust of extinguished monsters. She turned around and started to yell at him again for not mentioning anything. Immediately Hera rushed over to the child, motherly instincts taking over. The poor boy had scars all over his body, none of them recent expect for one. A rather large one ran down the boy's back, clearly still healing. The boy was suffering from malnutrition and a sprained ankle. Other than that, it seemed just to be fatigue that troubled him. Hera had looked up to see her uncle smirking at her. In realization of what she had just done, she immediately got away from the boy, who was clearly a demigod. Distaste was written over her face. Her uncle wanted to get the boy inside and feed him some nectar. She argued vehemently, saving the life of any demigod was not something she wanted to do. Eventually she relented, when he threatened to leave. She had nursed him to health and left him inside the barn to sleep. In all honesty she was slightly intrigued by the child. All his scars seem to have been made by mortal weapons or items, as they left different scarring marks than that of a monsters. They were also far from any urban society, and he was clearly a city breed. There was no way a child like that should have been able to find them.

Hera was lifted from her thoughts when her uncle returned from wherever went. She started to yell at him again , reverting to Ancient Greek, for leaving her stranded with a demigod. She was interrupted mid-lecture when she was lightly tackled by a small figure. When she looked down she found the demigod, sobbing into her dress.

She was shocked. Hera couldn't remember the last time she was hugged by anyone, much less a child. It felt slightly warming and endearing. But that endearment was soon replaced with burning rage. How dare a demigod touch her. Especially after she had saved its pathetic existence. It was nothing more than a reminder of her incompetence as a God. She brought her hand down to end the very life she had saved mere hours ago. Her hand froze mid-swing, as the worthless demigod uttered one barely audible syllable.

"Mom"

Mom. Hera couldn't believe her ears. Over 2 millennia she had waited, wishing one of her children would address her with such endearment in any language. It had never came. Hera had stopped wishing, giving up the hope of ever being loved by her children. But here it came, uttered from the mouth of a lowly demigod. Hera knew she should be offended. She was the Queen of the Olympians. No mere demigod had the right to call her mom.

But for some reason Hera couldn't feel happier. Never in her life had she felt the exhilaration of comforting someone other than herself. She refused to move the boy away from her, basking in this new feeling of motherly love. Sadly the moment could not last. As boy the looked into Hera's face she knew he had recognized that she was not his mother. What a shame. The child took a step away from her.

" Yo... You're not my mother."

Laughter boomed from behind, coming from her great-uncle.

"You've got that right child. She's the last person on earth that could be your mother."

Hera instinctively glared at her uncle. But sadly it was true. She was never meant to have a child that cared about her it seemed.

The boy bowed his head to Hera.

" I'm sorry ma'am. You just l...look so much like her."

Hera could not help but pity the boy as he tried to choke back his tears of the memories of his mother.

Much to her uncle's surprise, Hera kneeled down to the boy's height and lifted his chin up with two fingers.

"It's alright my boy. Will you tell us your name? Where is your mother? How did you get here?"

"My name is Perseus Achilles Jackson ma'am. I'm eight years old. My mom was k...killed by my s..stepfather Gabe trying to protect me. Af..fter she, was gone, Gabe came after me. I ran away from our apartment and lived on the street for two days. After that these large dogs chased after me for three days. I ended up running to here. I don't know where I am. "

Hera growled at the mention of the death of Perseus's mother. " I suppose the Gabe fellow is also the one who gave you those scars."

Perseus's hand seemed to subconsciously run over a scar that extended across his eyes to upper cheek. He merely nodded his head.

Hera noticed for the first time the sparkingly green color that shone from Perseus's eyes.

" Oh Lords no, not Poseidon as well."

" What? What is it niece?" Hera's great uncle growled.

"Take a look at his eyes" Hera merely motioned.

" I see"

Hera pulled her uncle aside, leaving the confused Perseus alone and bewildered by her actions.

"He won't survive for another year out here. Even if he went to camp, Zeus would kill him immediately"

"Niece, you are oddly worried for this child. What is going on?"

Hera blushed slightly. Wait. What was going on? Why did she care so much about this demigod? He was a born mistake. Hera scolded herself when she looked back at Perseus. The boy had been through so much at such a young age. To watch one's own mother die protecting them. That is a fate worse than death. He seemed to care about his mother beyond comparison. Hera was slightly envious of the boy's mother. And even if he did not know, he had provided her at least once the feeling of having a loving child. She did owe it to him to make sure he survived a bit longer.

"Uncle he deserves a break. He has been through much as a child."

"I agree. I was surprised you did. How do you suppose we hide him?"

"Will you take him in Uncle? His scent is too strong for him to escape unnoticed up here."

"WHAT? To my place? That is no such place for a sane adult, much less a child."

" There is no other way Uncle. He will die otherwise. You can protect him."

" We shall ask him and see."

**Percy**

Once again it felt my heart was torn out. My mother was still dead, and I was still the main reason. The lady that talked to me seemed to look so much like her, but her demeanor was so different. She was unkind to me, but it was clear she wasn't sure how to act. She asked me a bunch of questions, and then asked me about my mother and my scars. I don't know why but I was able to talk freely with her. It's probably because she looks so much like my mother. She then suddenly pulled the man aside and started talking about my eyes. My mother always used to tell me about how my eyes were so much like my father's. That made me want to hate them, but it was such a nice shade of green. I can understand how my mother fell for someone with such an intense eye color. The man and the lady were still talking in hushed whispers, when the man's voice started to raise a bit. After a couple of minutes , the seemed to come to a consensus and returned to where I was standing. The man cleared his throat and began to speak.

"Percy, you are not a normal child. You are the son of a God. You are a half-blood, a mix between mortal and godly blood. Because of this, and your father, you are in high risk. You saw those dogs that came after you today. There are thousands of those dogs, running around trying to find you. Not only are there these monsters trying to kill you, as soon as your father's brother learns of your existence he will attempt to kill you with all that he possesses. With that in mind, you have two options. You can either take your chances up in the world here, or you can travel with me to my place, where I can keep you safe. But be warned, my place is as dangerous, if not more than the above world. However I can keep you safe until you are able to do so yourself. Secondly, if you do venture with me, you must cut your ties with this upper world. I will allow Hera to visit you but only her. This includes severing ties with your father. If you agree to these terms I will be able to take you in. Take as much time as you need deciding. However , you have 5 minutes to give me an answer."

Percy was not at all surprised about being the son of a God. His mother had hinted several times that he was related to Greeks and their gods in more ways than one. However she refused to tell him who his godly parent was. He didn't care though. He had nothing left on this world, he did not care about a father that had left him to such a fate.

"I accept your offer sir."

The lady that the man had called Hera seemed to be relieved. I was glad. I liked her, she reminded me so much of my mother.

"Excellent. We shall depart immediately."

"Excuse me sir, but where are we departing to?"

The man just looked at me, an amused grin twitching upon his face.

"To my palace of course. My humble kingdom, Tartarus."

**AN: Well! What did you think? And please leave a review. Quite a few people have taken a look at this story (At least by my standards) yet only four people left a review. Thanks to those who did. I'd really appreciate any feedback at all. Also the poll of Percy/Zoe vs. Percy/Artemis only received two opinions, so please feel free to leave your choice for that in the review section as well. Thanks for reading. **

**Buh bye now. **


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: Well another chapter is ready, and I had the pleasure of writing a tiny tiny fight scene in this one. I hope you enjoy. **

**Also votes so far for pairings are :**

**Artemis 5**

**Zoe 1**

**I'll probably keep the voting up for one more chapter or so, so if anyone else wants Zoe, ya better let me know. **

**Previously **

"_Excellent. We shall depart immediately." _

"_Excuse me sir, but where are we departing to?" _

_The man just looked at me, an amused grin twitching upon his face. _

"_To my palace of course. My humble kingdom, Tartarus."_

**Percy **(Four Years after moving to Tartarus)

Sparks lit the air as the blades clashed. The black stare of the two obsidian scimitars was matched by the brilliant gleam of the bronze blade that filled the darkness. The men holding these blades stepped back as the force of the blows exchanged caused them to separate. The man holding the 4 foot blade of bronze wore a thin layer of greek armor. A small layer of closely shaved black hair adorned his head. Beads of sweat ran down his forehead, leaving small trails of water clinging to his face. His broad shoulders were a symbol to his clear muscularity. He possessed a buff figure and stood at a daunting height of almost 7 feet. His pale green eyes shone in comparison to the dark of the night that surrounded him, His opponent seemed weak in stark contrast. Unlike the tall, muscular figure before him, the man wore no armor. He was draped in midnight black cloak with purple hints stretching to the sides. He stood at no more than 5 foot 11 inches, with a lithe frame. Strapped to his waist were two sheaths where his two blades would normally lay. Dark wavy hair was sprayed across his face, while a large scar ran from the side of his eye to his chin. His eyes were an unruly black, shifting every so often to blue and green.

They regarded each other for a moment before bounding towards each other. Sparks flew as the two seemed to dance around each other, blades moving in and out as if in a intricate weave. The muscular man kicked the cloaked man back a few feet, but the cloaked man got up and charged. As the cloaked man approached, the muscular one attempted to use the size and length of his sword to his advantage. He swung the bronze blade horizontally at the cloaked one's neck, trying to push him back with brute force. The air rung as the cloaked man merely ran down the length of the bronze blade pressing his scimitar against it, unfazed by the amount of force put behind the attack. As the cloaked man was in reach, he rose his other scimitar in preparation to deal the final blow. However the bronze bladed man was not finished yet. He let go of the bronze blade, and watched as it was pushed away by the sudden lack of force behind it. Using the momentum from that push, he quickly grabbed the blade and spun around, smacking it into the unguarded side of the cloaked figure, causing him to fly to side smashing into and breaking a large pile of rocks.

Blood leaked out of the cloaked man's mouth as he slowly got up from the ground, surrounded by rising dust and cracked rocks. His opponent charged at him, slashing downwards at him with as much strength as he could muster. The cloaked man rose his two blades, catching the bronze one in between the cross that the scimitars made exactly halfway between the hilt and the tip of the bronze blade. They seemed to be at a standstill, but the cloaked man could feel himself being overpowered. In a battle of strength he would lose. He needed a plan and quick.

In his final desperation the cloaked man decided to go with a gambit. He feinted backwards pretending to retreat. The muscular fell for the feint and lunged, knowing that if the cloaked man were to move backwards, his lunge would catch him in the chest. As the muscular man lunged forward, the cloaked one moved in the opposite direction and struck his opponent's shin with as much force as he could muster. This caused the muscular man to loosen his grip on the bronze blade.

As soon as he felt the grip loosen on the bronze blade, the cloaked man twisted with as much speed as he could, his obsidian blades wrenching the bronze blade from the muscular man's grip. As he spun, the hilt of the bronze blade smacked the muscular man across the face, causing him to stumble and fall. The cloaked man, using the momentum from his spin threw the bronze blade as far away as he could muster. He walked up slowly to the muscular man, blood still trickling from his mouth, and placed an obsidian blade on the muscular man's neck. He uttered one word, cold and dark.

"Dead"

The muscular man looked at the cloaked man in shock at first, before a wide grin replaced the look on his face. The cloaked man extended his hand out the muscular one laying on the floor and groaned as he helped bring him to his feet.

"Extraordinarily done, I have never seen one use such finesse in battle."

Dusting himself off the cloaked man looked at the muscular man's face with a blank look, still holding on to his two scimitars.

"You know that isn't true Achilles. I only won because you fell for the feint. It would have been a downhill battle for me from there on." He shrugged off.

Achilles responded with a booming laugh, unfitting for the dark and dreary hell hole they had been fighting in.

"As modest as ever are we. Brute strength is not the only deciding factor within a battle, make do to remember that. The use of one's mind is more than necessary."

The cloaked figure opened his mouth to respond when a wall of darkness appeared behind him. He spun around to face the new apparition. Flames of red oozed out from the sides, as if they were cut veins dripping from a body. From within the darkness a cold yet lyrical voice sounded.

"My My, it seems that you improve leaps and bounds every passing day Percy."

The cloaked man instantly brought himself to a knee, placing his blades back within their scabbards that hung on his side. Achilles just bowed his head in respect.

"Lord Tartarus, you humble me with your words."

From within the wall of darkness stepped out Tartarus. Lord of the Pit. His pale skin was a contrast to the darkness from which he had just procured himself from. He wore regal black armor with a blood red flowing cape. His eyes showed a mirth that was lacking for many a millennia.

"Achilles I thank you for allowing Percy here to train with you over the past few years. It is no doubt to your tutelage that he was able to progress so quickly. I also apologize for having you train him here in such a desolate area of Tartarus. The Olympians would have noticed if I had brought your soul to my palace"

Achilles merely bowed his head again. "It was my honor Lord Tartarus. Never have I seen one with such raw talent for a blade. He will be unmatched in the years to come. And the place is of no matter, as long as the training was able to occur. I am sorry to have misjudged your intentions when you first approached me."

Four years ago when Percy had first moved to his new home, Tartarus had looked for a suitable teacher for Percy. He could not teach Percy himself as that would draw attention to the boy's presence. He had approached Achilles in the Underworld offering him a chance to escape his duties as the Guardian of the Styx and a chance to influence the world once more. Achilles, unaware of the offer, had thought the Lord of the Pit had come himself to claim his soul and drag him down to eternal damnation. So Achilles brazenly attacked Tartarus, hoping to escape. After a very short battle in which Achilles was decimated, Tartarus asked him to accept his offer. Achilles immediately accepted. The thing valued most in the Underworld was the chance to give their after life a purpose. If Achilles could do that by training the next super warrior he would gladly become his mentor.

"It was of little matter Achilles. And if I recall correctly, it was not my intention to wound your pride so much that day either." Tartarus replied with a small smirk on his face and a twinkle in his eye.

"Anyhow, Percy may not be meeting you for a while longer Achilles, so I shall send you back to your position at the Styx."

Achilles nodded at Tartarus and turned to Percy. Clasping Percy's forearm Achilles imparted his final wisdom on the child.

"I suppose this is farewell Perseus. Remember your lessons as you make your way through life. Learn from my mistakes. Do not let pride and hubris blind you or let anger cloud your heart"

"Farewell Achilles. It was an honor learning under you. Give Lord Hades my thanks for letting you come as well."

And with that Achilles slide into the darkness, no doubt disappearing back to his post as the Guardian of the Styx .

Tartarus turned to Percy with a small smile about his face.

"Percy, what did I tell you about such formalities like Lord Tartarus."

Percy chuckled as he recounted the angered and colorful language that Tartarus used when he refused to let go of the formal names.

"You told me they were worth nothing more than bloody fucking peanuts and that I should get rid of them, Lord Tartarus."

Tartarus sighed and gave a small shake of his head.

"You memorize what I said but still refuse to listen to it. You are one stubborn child. Now come, we have important matters to discuss." Tartarus turned around walking to the the wall of darkness he had originally come out of. " And stop dragging your cape on the ground."

Percy merely chuckled as he followed.

" As you wish... Father"

Line Break

As Percy exited the wall of darkness he laid his eyes on the Palace of Tartarus. Also Percy's palace, as his father had mentioned many times before. It was as much his as it was his father's. He walked through the beginning of the estate, large topiaries of all different kinds of monsters adorned the garden in front of the entrance. His father had cut all these by himself, adding to the collection whenever Percy had managed to defeat another worthy monster. A large lake occupied much of the area to the west of the palace, which Percy had found rather soothing. To contrast the bleak darkness, Tartarus had constructed his palace to be a dazzling white, with thin veins of obsidian black crawling along the white. Percy walked through large, double french doors that were etched with the color of blood. Statues of famous heroes throughout all of history greeted him after stepping through the entrance. Marble tiles are inlaid in the ground, creating a weaving pattern that left one in a trance. Percy's steps echoed as he walked through his palace. Beautiful paintings hung all around the room, adding color to the white walls. A set of double staircases, one on the left, one on the right led to the upper floors and the training room. The railing of the staircase is exquisitely engraved with flowers and vines, each similar but unique, adding to the design in it's own way. There are six large stone pillars evenly spaced, to keep the castle standing. A grand wooden door leads to a very large library. To the right there is a door that leads to a greenhouse, a multitude of plants house within. Each plant hailed from different parts of the world, no two sharing the same features. A large fountain captured the attention in the center of the room showering water gracefully in a never ending cycle.

Percy snorted as he took all of this in, still in awe after over four years of inhabiting this castle. He never took his father to be such a softie for art and plants. The way the outside world had spoken of him it was as if he was a cruel heartless being with no soul. Even the monsters that resided within his home were not called such terrible things. It was all due to those accursed Olympians and their prejudice. Except for his mother of course. His mother was the only acceptable Olympian.

Percy shook his head as he refocused himself. His father had called him back home for an important reason. Percy's training was nowhere near completed. He could only barely manage to defeat Achilles. His archery was still abysmal and still could not use the power his father had gifted him when he was adopted to its full extent. He was still a child. For his father to pull him out of training so early meant there was a grave matter to be dealt with. He sighed as he rushed into his father's study. As much as change was appreciated down here, he was just getting used to his strict training regiment. It took Achilles 4 years to drill a proper routine into the young boy.

As Percy entered his father's study, his eyes immediately gazed ominously at the towering bookshelf behind his father's classic mahogany desk. Percy hated the bookshelf as much as the books on it.. None of the books on that shelf had made any sense to Percy, ranging from _Elementary Differential Equations _ to _Advanced Hydrology _to _A Surmise on the Effect of the Peloponnesian War on Cactus Growth in the South_. Why his father had such books he did not know. He long stopped questioning what his father did. And then there was the question of the bookcase itself. When he had first arrived, he had almost killed himself attempting to reach a paper weight that was quarter and a half of the way up the 20 foot tall behemoth, causing it to fall down on him. Luckily his father came and healed him before any damage could have been done.

Once again shaking himself from his thoughts, Percy cleared his throat, requesting Tartarus' attention, who currently was sitting at his desk doing some work. No doubt more renovations for the castle. Tartarus looked up and motioned for Percy to sit in one of the two pink chairs that sat in front of the grand mahogany desk. Percy grimaced as he sat down. Ever since his mother had started to visit the palace, a lot more feminine color had been introduced. If he wasn't careful he'd find himself wearing bright pink undergarments and a My Little Pony t-shirt.

"You had called for me father?" Percy asked. He moved slightly in his chair, nervous from the overly serious look the Lord of the Pit gave him.

"Percy, it may have been only four years since you have come to live here, but I have seen you grow exponentially. You have surpassed the expectations of many, including myself and your mother's. We are both very proud of you. "

Tartarus gave Percy a warm smile, which Percy returned a hundredfold. He was eternally grateful to the man and women that had saved his life, and had given it new meaning.

"However, that also means your time for innocence has gone and passed. You are no longer the child that you once were. So I will not hide the truth from you." Tartarus' face immediately turned into a frown. He clearly disliked what he was about to say.

"Percy, as you know, I clearly am not your birth father. As a son of Posiedon..."

Tartarus was immediately cut off by a low growl echoing across the large study. Percy had a murderous rage in his eyes.

"No matter what you say father, that man will never be more to me than an enemy. He is in no way related to me in any manner. I have my family now."

Tartarus could not help but grin as Percy described their relationship as a family. It was true, ever since Percy had come down to Tartarus (It's so confusing referring to the pit as himself) Percy had played an important role in his life, opening up a kinder side of himself that he never knew existed. Tartarus had never had anyone to share anything with, and the arrival of Percy had changed him a great deal. Even his subjects had changed quite a bit, everything has changed, except for that dark secret he had been holding over the millennia.

"You are correct Percy, we are a family. However, that cannot change the fact that you were sired by the worthless Sea God. As of now Percy you are the only child of the Big Three. This puts you in line for the next prophecy, and thus an untold amount danger. The Ancient Laws prevent me from telling you the prophecy my child, but know this. Nothing good can come of knowing your future, so do not seek it out. "

"Now as to why I have taken you out of your training. Percy, you do remember your "cousin"?"

Percy chuckled when his father mentioned Percy's "cousin". Percy had stumbled upon the reforming conscious of Kronos while exploring the pit. Curious, he struck of conversation with the Titan Lord's mind, at first calling him cousin, as Tartarus was Percy's father. When Kronos had found out that Tartarus had only adopted Percy, he insisted on Percy calling him grandfather, slightly insulted to be called cousin by one who was millenia younger. After a long talk Percy had found Kronos to be a very likable person, not evil or rude as the myths had portrayed him to be. Those damned Olympians again, everything is their fault. He had also found something very interesting. Kronos could not remember eating his children, or why he was down in Tartarus in the first place. He even had asked after the well being of his children. When it was time for him to take leave, Percy's mind had been bathed in a golden light. After that no matter how hard he tried, Percy could not find his grandfather's conscious.

" Of course I do father. Have you heard news of him? I would like to talk to him once more."

"Perseus your grandfather, has been afflicted, again. He is reforming, coming back to the world, still carrying that affliction. If he is allowed to rise even partially, the affliction will pass on to the Gods in greater amounts than before. Percy, the prophecy calls for you to stop him. You need to go back and save Olympus."

**AN: Well what do you think? Please let me know in the review. I feel like I've left hints for the overall plot in this chapter. The **_**affliction **_**will play an important role in the story .Thank you to all those who reviewed last time, I really do appreciate them. Also thanks to all those who followed and favorited this story. I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter. Until next time. **


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